


A Perfect Date

by monaquinn



Series: WYLMW- Zukka highschool au [2]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, First Dates, Iroh (Avatar) is a Good Uncle, Karaoke, M/M, Ozai (Avatar) Being a Terrible Parent, This Is STUPID, Underage Drinking, fade to black sexual content, movies - Freeform, so much happens here, sokka is the best boy, stupid cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:48:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25142653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/monaquinn/pseuds/monaquinn
Summary: “No! This isn’t right,” Sokka exclaims, “It’s not supposed to happen like this. You deserve better than drunk sloppy Sokka asking you be his boyfriend. Tomorrow’s Saturday, and I’m going to take you on a proper first date. A perfect first date. Like in the romantic comedy movies.”-or Sokka delivers on a promise, and Zuko is along for the ride.
Relationships: Mentioned Relationships - Relationship, Sokka/Zuko (Avatar), Suki/Yue (Avatar)
Series: WYLMW- Zukka highschool au [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1821244
Comments: 27
Kudos: 464





	A Perfect Date

**Author's Note:**

> hi guys! i told you i wasn't done with this au!
> 
> you do not need to read my other work 'when you looked my way' to enjoy this, but here are some things you should know if you didn't read   
> \- the friend group here consists of aang, toph, suki, yue, and katara (also zuko + sokka obvi) but suki is a lesbian and dating yue  
> \- zuko's dad is in jail and zuko lives with iroh   
> \- azula is under iroh's car and is living at a facility that is helping her heal!! 
> 
> yeah thats about it just know that it was a slow burn and zukka got together at the end
> 
> for my friends who did read (hi! i love u)  
> \- this takes place basically right after WYLMW (minus the mini azula part at the end)
> 
> enjoy!

“What are we?”

Zuko asks the question. Its late, probably one in the morning, and they are making out in a bathroom at a party. The host, Hahn, is on the soccer team with Sokka, and allegedly _(well-according to Sokka and Yue)_ is an asshole. But free booze is free booze, so they are here anyway. The bathroom is ridiculously grandiose, all marble floors and a jacuzzi taking the form of a bathtub. It reminds Zuko of his old home, the one he shared with his father and Azula, but he is too tipsy and absorbed with hooking up to feel uncomfortable about it. 

(However, he is uncomfortable about their relationship, if you could even call it that. After the conversation in Sokka’s car about three weeks ago they have been ‘seeing each other,’ to put u loosely.

It’s lovely, don’t get him wrong. It’s probably the happiest he’s ever been in his life, actually. Other than the beach trips he took with his mother and uncle Iroh when he was a toddler, but those memories were tainted so much that they almost no longer counted. 

With Sokka, there was always a place for him. They would do homework together after school, hang out before and after his shifts at his uncles tea shop, and have plenty of make-out sessions in Sokka’s room and both their respective cars, and there was that one time in Suki’s room but _they don’t need to talk about that._ Suki wasn’t happy, to put it nicely. With Sokka, he has a group of real tangible friends for the first time. He had a seat at the lunch table, went with them to parties, and participated in their weekend hang outs. And he _really_ liked them. It wasn’t like hanging out with Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee. With them, he had always felt on edge, worried that he would say or do something wrong to set his sister off, but now, he could speak freely and laugh and joke without fear of consequence. It was perfect. 

So perfect, in fact, that it made him worry. Sokka and him weren’t dating, and this could all end so fast. The second that Sokka tired of him, it would be over, and he would be alone again. And that made him anxious.)

He didn’t mean to blurt it out, but they had been kissing so fervently, Zuko sitting on the bathroom counter, legs wrapped around Sokka’s waist, and he couldn’t help but think just how much better this would all be if he was certain. If he had a definite place in Sokka’s heart, just like their friends, Yue and Suki. 

He is never one to ask for anything, always believing that he deserves the worst. If it weren’t for the alcohol, he wouldn’t have said anything at all, would've happily eaten himself alive with self-deprecation and thoughts of _‘I don’t deserve this’_ and _‘I am just lucky to have this for even a moment’_ and _‘Sokka deserves better.’_

But he is drunk. So he asks the question. 

“What are we?”

Sokka pulls away ever so slightly, their legs still tangled and faces mere inches apart. He has this look of adorable confusion on his face, eyebrows furrowed and well-kissed lips pursed, and Zuko wants to lean in and kiss him again so bad it almost hurts. “Huh?”

“What are we?” Zuko presses, he opened the door and cannot shut it. He needs to know. 

There is a painful moment of silence, and Zuko thinks his heart may drum its way out of his chest. Sokka takes a step back, stumbles a little but manages to steady himself by grabbling Zuko’s shoulder. “What do you mean?” 

“I mean, like- what is this? I kind of think we had a moment the other day in the car, and these past few weeks have been really - _really -_ great and I just was wondering…” 

“If we were dating or not?” 

He flushes. Dying from embarrassment in a rich kids bathroom at a high school party doesn’t seem like the worst way to go at the moment. “Yeah.” 

Sokka’s lips quirk upward, and he begins to laugh. Yeah, dying from rejection in a rich kids bathroom at a high school party seems a little worse. God, he should've never asked. Why can’t he just except that good things never stay? Zuko’s thoughts are quelled by the sound of Sokka’s voice saying, “I am so stupid! I never asked you out did I? I just assumed - I assumed that we were kinda dating already.” 

Zuko can almost see his jaw drop like a character in a Looney Tunes cartoon. “Oh.” 

Sheepishly, Sokka fiddles with his ponytail. “Well- thats embarrassing. Um- will you be my boyfriend?” 

Before he can even bring himself to answer he finds himself pressing their lips together, the butterflies in his stomach evaporating. 

“I’ll take that as a yes?” 

Zuko nods, and leans in again, pouting when Sokka pulls away. “No! This isn’t right,” Sokka exclaims, “It’s not supposed to happen like this. You deserve better than drunk sloppy Sokka asking you be his boyfriend. Tomorrow’s Saturday, and I’m going to take you on a proper first date. A _perfect_ first date. Like in the romantic comedy movies.” 

Zuko chuckles, rolling his eyes at the other boys antics. 

“No. I’m serious. You aren’t going to know what hit you, it’s going to be so cheesy you might combust, and- ” Zuko cuts off _his boyfriend_ with a quick peck on the lips. 

“Alright, pick me up at seven, _babe._ ” The word, even though it is in a jesting manner, feels foreign and almost wrong on his tongue, but the look on Sokka’s face makes it all worth it. His pupils dilate, and suddenly he is grabbing the collar of Zuko’s collar and slamming their lips together. Zuko angles himself backward, his neck pressing against the cool glass of the mirror, and loses himself in the kiss. 

“Yes,” Sokka says when they separate to breathe, “Seven is good. Seven is great, actually.” 

____________

Sokka arrives at the Jasmine Dragon at seven on the dot. Zuko has made the executive decision earlier to wait for him downstairs in the shop, since there was no real front door to the tiny apartment he shares with his uncle on the second floor. 

Zuko’s excited, and a little nervous, when he sees the blue Subaru park by the curb. It was just going to be like normal, he tells himself, nothing has changed now that they are dating other than the official title. However, being boyfriends with someone, especially someone like Sokka, was enough to make Zuko buzz and tap his foot anxiously against the tiled floor. 

The car door swings open, and Sokka bounds towards the door of the Jasmine Dragon. He is in a light blue sweater and black jeans along with his ratty pair of white Chuck Taylor’s he wears almost every day. There is a tiny stud in the piercing on his left ear (which Zuko thinks is so attractive, by the way) and - _wait. Are those flowers in his hand?_

Yes. Sokka is most definitely holding the biggest bouquet of red roses Zuko has ever seen in his entire life. 

A bright blush has already spread across his cheeks when Sokka enters the shop to greet him. Roses? It was a such a public display of affection, and a rather classic one at that, that Zuko can’t help but feel a little amazed. This wasn’t something that happened to people, let alone emotionally-stunted eighteen year old boy’s like himself. “You didn’t,” he blurts out. 

“Oh yes I did,” Sokka chirps. “Remember I told you this was going to be the cheesiest date of all time?”

“I remember. I just didn’t think that you would actually-“

“Do it? Theres one think you got to learn if you are going to date me, sweetheart. I pull out all the stops.”

The already present flush on Zuko’s face deepens at the pet name. He gingerly takes the flowers from Sokka’s hand, fills up a jug of water, and places the roses in it. They are so pretty, and he is not going to get distracted by Sokka’s charm and let them die. “You ready to go?” Sokka asks when Zuko finishes tending to the bright red blooms. 

Zuko nods and follows him out of the store to his car. Sokka stops, gives a smirk that can only be described as devilish, and opens the door for Zuko. 

“And they say chivalry is dead,” Zuko rolls his eyes, giggling a little. 

Sokka gives a sailor salute, “Only for you, M’lady”

He gets in the car, reminding Sokka how Suki would absolutely annihilate him for the sexist implications of their recent exchange, and buckles his seatbelt. Sokka hops into the drivers seat, taking off. He is a bit of a reckless driver (Zuko knows this from the few times he has been in the passenger seat with the boy), always stopping a little short and driving a little too fast, but he’s careful when he needs to be, and he never misses a turn signal. Zuko thinks it mirrors his personality. A little excitable but always gentle when the moment calls for it. “So,” he begins, “what is on the agenda for tonight?” 

“Well, only the most insanely stereotypical first date of all time! First, we are going out to eat. Honestly, I feel like a super fancy place isn’t really our style, so we are getting ramen. Then, we are going to the movies. It’s a science fiction romance thing, you are going to HATE it, but we are getting popcorn and our hands are gonna brush and its gonna be like super cute. After that I’ll drive you home, kiss you goodnight, and viola. The perfect date. How does that sound?” 

Zuko can feel himself redden for the umpteenth time that night. Seriously, how is it that they have only been out for about ten minutes and he’s already acting like a fool? Despite it being the stuff of movies, Zuko knows deep down that everyone kind of wants an experience like this at least once in their lives, him included. His past relationship with Jet wasn’t the stuff of unicorns and puppies either. Jet was all sharp edges and callous remarks, only coming to Zuko when he needed a sexual release. This new thing with Sokka wasn’t familiar. But it was nice. _So nice._ Not really knowing what to say, Zuko nods his head and mumbles, “Sounds good.” 

The boy in the passenger seat gives him a blinding grin. “I’m glad to hear it. Now, to prepare for this special event, I constructed a playlist just for the occasion. Fair warning- _it’s really kind of bad.”_

Fiddling with the Spotify feature on his phone (another edition to the list of why Sokka wasn’t necessarily the best driver), Sokka selects a playlist entitled ‘for Z <3333’ and Zuko’s eardrums are blasted with the sounds of bubblegum pop that he thought died in the deep dark recesses of two thousand and ten. And, oh God, Sokka is singing along. 

“ _You think I’m pretty without any make-up on! You think I’m funny when I tell the punchline wrong! I know you get me, so I’ll let my walls come down, DOW-OW-OWN!”_

He has never been the person to sing, or really do anything that could be perceived as embarrassing in front of others. He would do nothing that could possibly rub his father the wrong way, nothing to possibly deserve a beating. Yet, Sokka looks so free in this moment, head banging to Katy Perry (of all things) with such pure unabashed joy, that Zuko can’t help but let go for once in his life and sing along. 

_“You make me feel like I’m living a teenage dream! The way you turn me on, I can’t sleep! Lets run away and don’t ever look back-“_

_“Don’t ever look back!”_

____________

The ramen place, which is conveniently located directly next to the movie theater, is packed. Even the hostess looks overwhelmed as she tries to manage angry customers and spit out accurate wait-times. Zuko looks helplessly at Sokka, already opening his mouth to tell his boyfriend that it’s fine and they can eat somewhere else, but Sokka gives him the biggest shit-eating grin and heads directly to the hostess stand, “Reservation for Sokka please.” 

_Of course he did._

The hostess gives a frazzled yet friendly smile and directs them to their table, a cozy booth towards the back of the restaurant. It’s in its own little corner, and Zuko feels a bit of peace in the chaos of the dinner rush. 

“You really thought I was slipping for a moment there,” Sokka jokes, waggling his eyebrows. 

“Maybe…” Zuko teases, looking down at the menu. 

He’s never been here before, but he’s had enough ramen in his lifetime to know whats good and what isn’t, and he settles on an order that looks similar to the one he used to give at a place back in his old home. He rarely misses Illinois, but living in Chicago did have the perks of some really good food. He doesn’t think of his old life for much longer though, Sokka immediately sweeping him into some stupid conversation about the terrible reviews the movie they are about to watch garnered, and the food is out before he knows it. 

“I have a question,” Sokka says mid slurp. 

He raises an eyebrow, wondering what was possibly interesting enough to ask about, then acquiesces. “Sure.”

“What’s your tattoo of? On your back. I only ever see the top of it out of the collar off your shirt.”

Despite the heated make out sessions that have conspired in the past three weeks, Zuko never got around to taking off his shirt. (There was an ugly scar on his chest, one he received when his father shoved him down a flight of stairs and he broke his ribs. They had stayed damaged for a long while, and Uncle only recently made him get the proper surgery he needed. The scar hadn’t fully healed right. It was silly, as the biggest mark of his childhood abuse laid right on his face, but he didn’t want Sokka to know the full extent of just how damaged he was yet.) However, his tattoo was something he is really quite proud of. “Oh. It’s of a bear. I got it over the summer, right after I turned eighteen.”

“A bear?” 

“Yeah, it’s for my mom.” 

Sokka furrows his brow. “She was an actress, right? Does any play she was in have to do with a bear?” 

Zuko’s heart flutters at the fact that he remembered something so minuscule about his mother and at how adorable Sokka looks when he is trying to figure out something. “Oh, no. It’s a lot more on the nose than that. Her name is- was- Ursa.” 

“Oh! Like Ursa major. Cool. I’d like to see it sometime,” Sokka winks. He honest-to-God, shamelessly, _winks._ Zuko thinks he is going to melt into a puddle on the spot, but the waiter comes with the check and saves him. 

Sokka pays before Zuko can do anything about it. 

“My date, my treat.” He insists. It seems to be his mantra, as Zuko finds himself unable to pay for the movie tickets or the popcorn despite many _(many!)_ complaints. Jet made Zuko pay for everything, even though Zuko can’t seem to remember any time they actually went on a proper date. But when something needed to be paid for, i.e Jets constant need for cigarettes (Jesus, the kid smoked like a pack a day), Zuko would foot the bill. Jet always made some snide comment about ‘daddies money,’ despite knowing that Zuko’s father gave him absolutely nothing. So, it was nice to be treated just this once, he supposes. Not that it will ever happen again, Zuko is going to pay next time. Sokka deserves it. 

Quite frankly, Sokka deserves more than a date, in Zuko’s opinion. To him, the brunette deserved the world. 

The movie is, predictably, horrible. It follows a ridiculously attractive man and woman who are stuck on a beautiful island after all of humanity is wiped out in some alien invasion. In order to survive, they have to repopulate the earth. There are more gratuitous PG-thirteen sex scenes than needed, but, to be honest, he really isn’t paying attention. He doesn’t think Sokka is either. Somewhere in the middle of the film Sokka lets out a ridiculously fake yawn and stretches his arms over his head, encasing Zuko under one of them. He cant help but roll his eyes, despite snuggling into the warm embrace. 

As the aliens invade and the on-screen world is evaporated into a flash of pink light, Zuko isn’t even looking at the screen. He is more focused on the way the light reflects into the pair of bright blue eyes that are looking softly back at him. 

____________

The music is much softer on the car ride home, and Zuko forehead is pressed against the cool glass of the window when Sokka’s car slows to a stop in front of The Jasmine Dragon tea shop. Sokka gets out along with him, and walks the short distance to the large glass door. 

“I guess there isn’t a front porch to give you a goodnight kiss on,” Sokka jokes, sounding almost shy. 

“Guess not.” 

“I can still work with it,” He smiles, gently cupping his scarred cheek, and pulling him in. Their lips meet, and Zuko can’t help but smile into the kiss. His eyes flutter shut, placing his hands on Sokka’s shoulder. It’s heartbreakingly tender, _just so perfect,_ that Zuko doesn’t even regret when he pulls away and says, “I know this isn’t the typical thing to say, but come upstairs with me. Stay the night.” 

Sokka bites his lip, “your Uncle?” 

“He falls asleep at nine, an hour ago. Plus he won’t mind at all. As long as you ‘sleep on the couch.’” The words are light, Zuko unsure if Sokka would feel comfortable sharing the bed (he can always actually take the couch if it comes to that), but the grin on Sokka’s face proves that thought null. 

They head up the rickety stairs to the apartment quietly, careful not to make too much of a racquet. Sokka sends a quick text to his dad that he is crashing at Suki’s for the night, the dirty liar, and Zuko pulls off his shoes. Uncle is traditional, and hates people tracking mud through the apartment. He tries not to let small insecurities about the state of their home get to him. They don’t have much, but its the only real home he has ever known. 

Sokka doesn’t seem to mind in the slightest. He immediately finds a framed picture of baby Zuko, delightedly picking it up. Zuko remembers the day it was taken vaguely, one of his first memories. Iroh and his mother took him and Azula on a day trip to the beach, and they spent the day making sandcastles and playing in the water. Iroh’s late son Lu Ten was there too, but Zuko has no recollection of him. In the photo Zuko is pressed up against Azula, both of them in their bathing suits. Azula is still in diapers, and they are beaming. A happier time. 

“You were SO cute. Oh my God,” he giggles, then softens, “Is this your sister?” Sokka asks. He knows it’s a delicate topic. 

“Yeah. There is a better picture of her framed on the wall,” he points to it. This one is much more recent, taken during one of Zuko’s happier visits to the facility Azula stays in. She is listening to music on her iPod, eyes closed and looking almost serene, peaceful. It is a state Azula never seems to be in, and Zuko is so proud of himself for snapping the photo on his phone when she wasn’t looking. It’s his favorite. 

“She looks like you,” Sokka muses, putting the baby photo down and directing his eyes at the wall. “Not as pretty though, obviously.” 

The shit-head. 

“Wanna watch an actually decent movie and get drunk?” Zuko suggests.

“I thought you’d never ask.” 

He is able to dig up a big bottle of Sake that Uncle definitely does not know he is in possessionof, and pulls up Netflix on the computer in his room. They are sitting on his bed, and Zuko feels a little embarrassed of how scarce his room is compared to Sokka’s. He has a bookshelf with a few of his favorite reads, mostly classics, and a few old posters of his mothers old plays that he saved after she died. It’s nothing like Sokka’s room, which is filled to the brim with knick knacks. Sokka doesn’t say a word however, only commenting on how comfortable Zuko’s bed is and browsing through movies with him. 

They settle on _Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse_ even though both have them have seen it before. It’s an easy watch to talk over, and they pass the bottle between them until they are both warm and giggly, sufficiently buzzed. 

“Hey,” Zuko says over the movie, feeling open. 

Sokka tears his eyes away from the screen, spider-pig John Mulaney is making some incredibly stupid joke about bacon that Sokka probably would find hysterical, but his eyes are focused on him, an ocean of blue, “Yeah?” 

“Thank you for tonight. I’ve- I’ve never been treated like this before. Tonight, although ridiculously cheesy was-“

“Perfect?” Sokka raises an eyebrow, but there is no pride in the action. The cocky air he typically carries with him is gone, he is genuinely asking.   


“Yes. Perfect.”

Sokka radiates, “I’m so glad.” He leans in, and Zuko can tell that the movie is going to be forgotten very soon. He shuts the laptop and moves it to a side table, then fully embraces his boyfriends lips. The taller boy lays down, and Zuko finds himself straddling Sokka, the kiss growing deeper. “Hey,” Sokka says, a small smirk playing out on his lips, “can I see your tattoo?” 

“Smooth talker,” Zuko chides, but cautiously takes off his shirt. Sokka’s eyes first land on the scar, long and jagged across his ribs. He looks up, his eyes large and worried. “It’s nothing. Froma surgery.” 

Sokka clearly wants to know the full story, but can tell that it is for another time. Zuko takes initiative, pulling himself off of Sokka’s lap, and turning so he can see the large bear that traces up his spine. 

He’s quite proud of the tattoo, Uncle had helped him come up with design, and he used his wages at the tea shop to afford it. It’s done in red ink, a mother bear with her two cubs, proudly protecting them. It’s what his mother always did for them, both of them, even if Azula never noticed it.

He can feel Sokka’s finger gently trace the lines, following the curvature of the ink where it ebbs and flows, “ _God_ , you are so sexy.” 

Zuko barks out a laugh. Him, sexy? The word feels foreign in his mind. He flushes, turning around to look at Sokka, who's pupils are dilated in what looks like a mix of lust and something deeper. _Okay, so theres that,_ he thinks. 

Sokka makes grabby hands at him, and Zuko collapses into the embrace. The kiss is needy, and more urgent than the last. Suddenly, Sokka loses his shirt as well, and then both of their pants are discarded onto a heap on the floor. 

They are under the covers, legs tangled together and hands in each others hair. “Do you want?” Sokka asks, and Zuko fervently nods. Both of them have done stuff before, they have talked about it. Zuko with Jet and Sokka with a various assortment of girls and guys. They are teenage boys after all, horniness comes with the job description. But this time, it feels romantic. Sokka’s hands are gentle, not rough like Jets that came before. 

After all the abuse he has suffered under the hands of others (Iroh says it was abuse, and Zuko is finally learning to accept that), he finally believes he deserves otherwise

“Yes, _yes._ ”

Sokka smiles, and winds them even closer together. 

____________

Zuko wakes up to the sun, cracks of light pouring through the blind. A pair of warm arms are wound around his neck, a tuft of brown hair itching against his cheek. 

He can’t help but smile. 

**Author's Note:**

> \- the car song is teenage dream by katy perry (do i even need to say this? lol)   
> \- i took some liberty with Zuko's chest scar by not making it a burn mark soz  
> \- i grew up and live in nyc so like i never had cute suburb dates in hs i hope this was realistic... honestly i was gay and confused so like my dating experiences were wacky in general tho lol
> 
> NEXT UP IN THIS SERIES : would you rather see something suki or azula centric (if azula, who do you ship her with?) both will have a healthy dose of the boys tho so do not worry! 
> 
> if you liked this please leave a kudos or a comment! they make me so happy!!


End file.
